A Thought For Your Day® :: Though Your Heart Is Aching

I first heard those words, sung by Nat King Cole, while listening to the radio at a very young age. To this day, it is one of my mother’s favorite tunes and throughout the years, I have enjoyed sharing it, at just the right moment, with my own radio audience.

One day, I made it a point to research the story of such precious words and a haunting melody that for decades have given comfort to so many. What I found, while not surprising, was a revelation of a perfect explanation. You see, the man behind the inspiration for these timeless thoughts spent a lifetime bestowing his gift of laughter on the world.

He was Charlie Chaplin.

Although Chaplin wrote the music for the song while scoring his acclaimed film, “Modern Times“, in 1934, it wasn’t until 20 years later that songwriters Geoffrey Parsons and John Turner penned the touching poetry. The lyrics are indeed a tribute to Chaplin’s eternal optimism in the film and his joie de vivre in real life.

“If you smile through your fear and sorrow

Smile and maybe tomorrow

You’ll see the sun come shining through for you”

Natalie Cole has shared that her father, Nat, was given the song personally by Mr. Chaplin. The recording rose to become a top ten hit 1954 and officially became Chaplin’s signature theme around the world.

You might say that, Smile is an arm around your shoulder, a hand on your hand, and a reminder from someone who cares to,

“Light up your face with gladness

Hide every trace of sadness.

Although a tear may be ever so near.”

In the final scene of “Modern Times“, Chaplin and his girlfriend, both on and off-screen, Paulette Goddard, are seen sitting by the side of lonely road with nothing but the clothes that they are wearing. She starts to cry and laments, “What’s the use of trying?” He gets closer, holds her in his arms and says, “Buck up – never say die. We’ll get along!”

Charlie Chaplin once said, “To truly laugh, you must be able to take your pain, and play with it!” He is a man who lived this lesson and reveled in the belief that “life is still worthwhile, if you’ll just smile.”

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